Faldo's Indian Designs

Six-time Major champion, Nick Faldo is eyeing the booming Indian golf market, where he is expected to start a signature golf course project next year.

'We are very close to selecting a property in India. The course will be in Delhi, which is the hub of golfing in India, and we are hopeful that construction work will start by early next year,' Nick Edmund, managing director of Faldo Design, told The Indian Golf Blog.

Faldo Design is a leading international golf course design company that was founded by Faldo more than two decades back.

Edmund said Faldo was yet to see any property in India but would obviously come down to inaugurate the project once the deal was finalised.

Edmund, who was on a two-day tour to India, visited some of the properties in and around Delhi and has also had talks with some leading developers. The project, expected to start early in 2008, will be inaugurated by Faldo himself.

'I haven't seen many golf courses in India. But I did see a few to have a feel of the business in India. It is very important to have a feel of the business before taking the final plunge,' said Edmund.

The company has designed 21 courses in Asia, including in China, the Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea and Thailand. Besides Asia, Faldo Design has also completed projects in 20 different countries in Europe and the US.

When asked why it took long for Faldo Design to venture into the Indian market, Edmund said: 'There wasn't a market in India 10-15 years ago. If we had started a project then it would have suffered a fate similar to what happened to our project in Russia. We are building a world class golf course in Russia but it has already taken five years and is still not complete.

Edmund also said that the course would be very typical to Faldo's own style of play, which always lays emphasis on strategy.

Faldo, who won the British Open and Augusta Masters three times each, is the most successful British golfer. Now 50, he divides his time between commentating, golf course designing and promoting the Faldo Series of golf events for juniors - one of which is held in India - and also plays on Seniors Tour.